NEW Y.M.C.A. BUILDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21619, 11 October 1933, Page 13

NEW Y.M.C.A. BUILDING

SERVICES DURING WAR FUND RAISED BY TROOPS [BY TKI.EGRAPTI OWN* CORRESPONDENT ] WELLINGTON". Tuesday A building for the Young Men's Christian Association will bo erected in Hutt Valley shortly out of an old trust fund as a memorial to the young men of the Dominion who fell during the war." The sito of the building; will be at the corner of Cuba and Manchester Streets, Pctone. Mr. C. E. Edmond, who was the leader of the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. serving with the Army of Occupation in Germany, states:—"When the New Zealand Division arrived in Germany at Christmas in 1918 they were welcomed by the New Zealand Y.M.C.A., which had established a refreshment booth just opposite the detraining point. This was the commencement of a very fine piece of service which the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. did with the division during the period the division was a part of the Army of Occupation on the Ilhine. At this time a suggestion was made by certain members of the division that many of the diggers would appreciate an opportunity of contributing toward the erection of a memorial Y.M.C.A. hut in New Zealand. This suggestion was taken up, and as a result a sum of approximately £I3OO was raised from different units which composed the division. A portion of this money was donated by battalion canteens as they closed down prior to demobilisation.

"During the intervening years the money has been carrying interest, and the amount now available is £2IOO. At the Y.M.C.A. convention held in Christchurch in March of this year it was resolved that the memorial hut should be erected in the Hutt Valley. This is a suitable location, as most of the men who went overseas during the war were trained at Trentham and passed through Hutt Valley on their way to troopships to embark for service overseas "